Back Into the Swing of Things

Vacation is over and we are back in the swing of things around here!  When we got back Evelyn had her 15mo doctor's appointment.  She is doing really well in all areas.  She weighs 22lbs 10.5oz (70%) and is 30.75 (58%) inches long.  She picked up the measuring tape and measured her head after the nurse did.  I was sorry I didn't get a picture of it ... it was pretty funny.

That same afternoon, Evelyn and I went to Maddie's classroom and she shared about our trip to NZ.  She was VERY shy but still really loved sharing.  She gave each of her classmates a shell and then they chose either a cookie (Mallowpuff or Toffee Pop) or a Pinkie bar.  She really enjoyed showing pictures and talking about her trip.

At one point, while I was setting out the sweets, I lost track of Evelyn.  I found her right at the front of the group next to her big sister.  She is really coming out of her shell and wanting to be in charge.

Here are a couple cute photos of my husband working.  I love the fact that the people he works with find this funny too.  :)

This is what you wear in the OR when you have a beard.  Bwahahahahahaha!

Nick was off our first weekend home and he and his girls were pretty much inseparable.  Sometimes they were playing together or sometimes they were each doing their own thing.  No matter what, however, they were together.  They really missed each other.  

Aunty Margy bought Evelyn a kiwi in NZ.  Evelyn saw it in a shop, picked him up and wouldn't put him down.  I got him back out when we got home and she has not put him down.  She is just so in love with him.

Evelyn may have grown out of her robe (I threw this on her while I was washing Maddie's hair one night and realized it was not really doing very much).

ZsaZsa got Maddie a kitty cat sleep mask.  Princess Maddie loves it (please note that the lamp is on - she still wants her lamp on ... but also her mask ...???).

Taking her kiwi for a walk.

Reading to her sister at the library.

Eating lunch with her kiwi.

Not sure if you can see this but sleeping with her kiwi.

In December I drove by a park and saw a HUGE off the lead dog area.  We took Mag for the first time this weekend and it was AMAZING!  It is right on the river so after the dogs run around the grassy areas they can go down to the river for a drink (or in the labs in this pictures case a swim) and wander along the beach.  It was just wonderful!

Nick is now taking his lunch to work.  I asked if he wanted a lunch box as a joke.  He said yes, so ...

We were out shopping this weekend and I put a backpack on Evelyn as a joke.  She wore it around the store until I had to tear it off her back.  She cried and was so upset (we didn't get it bc we have a million backpacks at home ... I know, I know ... mean mother!).  I dug through our boxes and boxes of toys and found a perfect backpack for her to wear.  She wore it all day.

I do not miss midwestern winters.

Reading

Evelyn loves her babies.

Maddie and Evelyn were drawing and playing with play dough yesterday.  I didn't want Evelyn to learn how to take the caps off so Nick and Maddie encouraged her to learn how to take the caps off.  She would make this major effort face each time and so I started making the face back at her.  It cracked her up and we giggled for a really long time.

Evelyn has started doing puzzles.  We have been working on them here and there and yesterday she worked out how to turn the pieces around the make them fit!  

Maddie is back into her regular routine at school.  Her reading is really coming along (I will have to take a video of her reading one day) and she knows all of her "star words" (sight words).  Evelyn is going to start swimming classes in a few weeks and Maddie is going to take cooking classes.  Maddie has begun the countdown to her birthday ... you know ... the one at the end of April?!  She will often make lists of the things we will need.